US3889097A - Permanent waving machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A permanent waving machine including a heating assembly for heating hair clamps. The heating assembly includes a base housing an elongated tubular heater element mounted for rotation on the base and a cap assembly secured to the heater element and including a handle for rotating the heater element relative to the base. The cap assembly, base housing and tubular heating element provide a substantially enclosed heating chamber. A resistance heater mounted on the base housing extends upwardly into the heating chamber in spaced relation to the interior surface of the tubular heating element. The resistance heater is in circuit with and controlled by an operating thermostat located in the base housing and connected in parallel with a control thermostat in the heating chamber and set to respond to a higher temperature than the operating thermostat. The tubular heating element is provided with integral elongate heater fins extending outwardly from the outer surface thereof for receiving a plurality of hair waving clamps for heating the clamps to the desired temperature.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,889,097 Forsberg 1 1 June 10, 1975 [5 PERMANENT WAVING MACHINE 47,775 4/1937 France ..219/222 [75] Inventor: John R. Forsberg, Arlington Heights, L Primary Examiner-A. Bartis Attorney, Agent, or FirmDressler, Goldsmith,

[73], Assignee: Helene Curtis Industries, Inc., Clement & Gordon, Ltd.

Chicago, Ill.

22 Filed: July 26,1973 [57] ABSTRACT I d h A permanent waving machine inc u ing a eating as- [21] Appl' 382886 sembly for heating hair clamps. The heating assembly 1 includes a base housing an elongated tubular heater 52 U.S. c1 219/242; 132/36 R; 219/222; element mounted for rotation on the base and a p 1 219/521 assembly secured to the heater element and including [51] Int. Cl H05b 1/02; A45d 4/00 a handle for rotating the heater olomoht relative to the [58] Field of Search 219/222-226, base The p assembly, base housing and tubular 219/242 521; 132/36 R; 36 A 36 AA 36 C heating element provide a substantially enclosed heat- 1 3 c 37 32 ing chamber. A resistance heater mounted on the base 1 housing extends upwardly into the heating chamber in [56] Referen e Cit d spaced relation to the interior surface of the tubular UNITED STATES PATENTS heating element. The resistance heater is in circuit with and controlled by an operating thermostat loliili 15/1353 $221;11:11:111113111111:111111311333 313/533 w in the base housing. and comsctedin Parallel 2:491:939 12 1949 Tasho 219 242 3 control thermfstat the heatmg chamber and 2,525,274 10 1950 Schleimer 219/242 Set to respond to a hlgher temperature than the p 3,049,131 8/1962 Leclabart 132/36 R ating thermostat Tho tubular heating element is P vided with integral elongate heater fins extending out- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS wardly from the outer surface thereof for receiving a 814,103 3/1937 France 132/36 C plurality of hair waving clamps for heating the clamps 502,050 3/1939 United Kingdom 132/36 D to the desired temperature 116,657 6/1946 Sweden 219/222 833,563 7/1938 France 219/242 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 10 I975 SHEET BELL TIMER PATENTEDJUH I 0 I975 3' 889,097

SHEET 2 WWW/WANT CONTROL ){mmosm OPERATING THERMOSTAT PERMANENT WAVING MACHINE This invention relates to a permanent waving machine and permanent waving clamps, and is particularly concerned with an improved heating assembly for heating hair clamps and for making heated hair clamps available for use by a beauty operator and with an improved clamp.

A wide variety of permanent waving appliances have been developed and have been made available for use. Many of these utilize hair waving clamps which must be heated, following which the clamps are applied to a users hair. Many devices have been designed for heating such clamps. Among such devices are those illustrated' in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,161,202, 2,167,831, 2,491,939, 2,509,747, 2,517,253 and 2,525,274. All of these patents disclose heating tubes from which heat may be extracted by hair waving clamps. Many of these require a plurality of heater elements; many take up a great deal of space; others fail to provide a compact and easily used assembly which is designed to rotate and to present heated clamps to a beauty operator at a variety of angular positions at which the operator may want them.

A permanent waving machine in accordance with this invention comprises a base housing, an elongate vertically positioned tubular heater element and a cap assembly. The tubular heater element comprises a tubular wall and a plurality of enlarged elongate heater fin's'extending outwardly from the tubular wall. Means are provided for securing the cap assembly to the upper end of said tubular heater element. Means are also provided'for securing the lower end of the tubular heater element to the base housing and for supporting said tubular heater element for rotation relative to the base housing, thereby to present clamps as necessary at desired angular positions. The base housing mounts a heater which extends upwardly therefrom into the tubular heater element for heating said heater element and said heater fins. The tubular heater element is preferably an extrusion. In a preferred embodiment, the heater element supporting means includes balls and a ball race, thereby to support the tubular heater element for ready rotation with respect to the base housing.

The cap assembly is non-rotatably secured to said tubular heater element and provides a handle to facilitate rotating the heater element relative to the base hous- A hair waving clamp in accordance with this inventionincludes a pair of heat retaining, expansive clamp members pivotally connected to each other and a stainless steel spring for biasing said clamp members to a closed position. Each of the clampmembers mounts spacer fingers at edges thereof to keep the clamp members, when heated and when applied to a users head, away from the scalp of the user. The stainless steel spring is passivated to prevent spotting of the users hair.

These and further objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a permanent waving machine in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the permanent waving machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the permanent waving machine taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a clamp adapted for use with the permanent waving machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a portion of the permanent waving machine of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the permanent wavingmachine of FIG. 1.

Referring now' to the drawings, a permanent waving machine constructed in accordance with this invention is identified by the numeral 10. Permanent waving apparatus 10 includes a base housing 12, an upper cap assembly 14 and an intermediate tubular heater element 16. Tubular heater element 16 is adapted to support and heat a plurality of clamps, such as clamps 18.

In the embodiment illustrated, tubular heater element 16 includes a cylindrical tubular wall 30. Wall 30 merges into "radially extending elongate vertical spacer ribs 32 whichterminate at their outer ends in elongate vertical enlarged heater fins 34. Fins 34 are generally circular in transverse cross-section, as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5.-Desirably, tubular heater element 16 is an aluminum extrusion, facilitating its fabrication and formation. It'is desirably surface coated with an epoxy resin to provide an easily cleaned external surface. As illustrated in FIG. 5, heater fins 34 are proportioned to mount clamps 18'so that they closely contact and confront the inner surfaces of the hair contacting portions of clamps 18.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, tubularheater element 16 is provided with means for securing its lower end to housing 12. To that end element 16 is provided with a lower end plate 36 as by screws 38 which are received in appropriate bores provided in the ends of several of the heater fins 34. A heater element support member 40 is secured by a plurality of screws 42 which extend through support member spacer bosses 44, through lower end plate 36 and into bores in other heater fins 34. The lower surface of heater element support member 40 defines a series of spaced ball sockets 46proportioned to receive balls 48.

Balls 48 are supported in a circular ball race 50 which is defined by a support plate 52. Support plate 52 is preferably of an electrically insulative plastic material and is secured by a plurality'of screws 54 to downwardly opening, screw receiving bosses 56 in an upper base member 60. That holds the balls 48 within the sockets 46 and race 50.

Base housing 12 includes an upper base member 60 and lower base member 62. Lower base member 62 provides bosses 64 through which screws extend threadingly to secure lower base member 62 to further bosses 56 extending downwardly from the upper base member 60. Those additional screws also pass through support plate 52 additionally stabilizing the support plate within base housing-12. Upper base member 60 provides an inwardly extending shoulder 68 which lies between plate 36 and member 40. This ball, socket and race arrangement provides for the relative rotation of tubular heater element 16 about its longitudinal axis with respect to base housing 12.

Cap assembly 14 overlies the tubular heater element 16 and serves to enclose its upper end. Cap assembly 14 includes a cap 80 to which a handle 82 is secured as by screws 84. An upper end plate 92 overlies the upper ends of heater fins 34 and defines a central aperture 93. A cap support 86 overlies end plate 92 and they sandwich heat insulating material 88 therebetween, material 88 overlying aperture 93. Cap support 86 provides a plurality of bosses 85 which confine and locate material 88 and through which screws 90 pass into bores in the upper ends of several of the fins 34. Cap 80 is secured by a plurality of screws 84 and nuts to cap support 86, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

When the cap assembly 14 is so secured to the tubular heater element, handle 82 will serve as a carrying handle to transport the permanent waving machine from place to place and will also serve as a handle for manipulating and rotating the tubular heater element 16 with respect to the base housing 12.

To heat the tubular heating element 16 and the heater fins a resistance heater 100, preferably a generally U-shaped Calrod unit, is provided. It is positioned within the space defined by the cylindrical tubular wall 30. Heater 100 is supported near its base on a ceramic heat insulating plate 102 which is positioned just within the end of tubular heater element 16 (see FIG. 2). The end portions 101 extend below plate 102 and are clamped between the vertical flanges of a pair of brackets 104. Via horizontal flanges 105 and suitable nuts and bolts 107, brackets 104 are secured to support plate 52, which, as has been pointed out, is fixedly secured to upper base member 60.

Resistance heater 100 is controlled by an operating thermostat 110 which is connected in parallel with a control thermostat 112. When the ON-OFF power switch 126 is turned on, both thermostats 110 and 112 close'to provide power to resistance heater 100. Control thermostat 112 is positioned within the tubular heater element, is mounted on plate 102 and is set for a temperature of approximately 215 to 230. Because it is located within the heater element 16 and close to the heater 100, it will rapidly reach the temperature at which it will open. To provide a means whereby the temperature of the heater element 16 may be raised to the desired level, the second, operating thermostat 1 10 is set for a lower temperature, such as about l80-l90, but, because it is remote from the heater element, it will not reach its shut off temperature for some time, thereby allowing the heater element 16 to heat up rapidly. Thermostat 110 is secured to plate 52 within base housing 12. When the shut off temperature for thermostat 110 is reached, it will open and power for heater 100 will be controlled by the thermostat 112.

Each clamp 18 includes a pair of identical clamp members 120. Members 120 are pivotally secured to each other by a stainless steel hinge pin 122. Each member 120 mounts spacer fingers 123 which, in use, keep the heated clamp members away from the scalp. They are biased to the closed position illustrated in FIG. 4 by a stainless steel spring 124. Spring 124 and pin 122 are treated, before use, by a passivating process. Passivating is a nitric acid etching process which serves to remote impurities from the surface of the pieces. Unless this is done, it has been found that certain permanent waving solutions will leach out such impurities and will deposit them on a users hair. Pin 122 and spring 124 are the only metallic components of clamp 18. Desirably clamp members 122 are of a phenylene oxide, such as General Electrics Noryl SE-l.

This material is sufficiently heat retentive so that metal inserts or the like commonly inserted in clamps to assist in retaining heat are unnecessary, and accordingly members 122 have no metallic particles or inserts therein. Clamps 18 are adapted to be mounted as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5 and are constructed to be spread from the position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the heating position illustrated in FIG. 5.

In use, apparatus 10 is turned on via ON-OFF switch 126, and the resistance heater is heated under the control of thermostats and 112. The tubular heating element is heated and virtually all of the heat generated is transmitted to the fins. The structural design of the heating element 16 and its unitary formation as an extrusion makes very efficient use of the heat generated by the heating element, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the machine 10. When the clamps have been adequately heated, a color dot 132 provided on each clamp indicates that fact by its color change. Dot 132 is of a known type of paint which is color responsive to temperature and which changes from one color to another, such as from red to brown, when the dot (hence the clamp) has been heated to the desired temperature. Assuming the dot has changed color, the clamp is ready for use in connection with hair waving. A mechanical bell timer is provided for use in connection with timing the use of the heated clamps on the hair of the individual receiving the permanent. Timer 130 is operated by knob 134.

It will be seen that the heater fins 34 are spaced from the cylindrical tubular wall 30 by spacer ribs 32. That provides adequate room for clamps 18 to extend around a greater portion of the fins than would otherwise be possible, thereby to provide more extensive contact between the clamps to be heated and the heater fins. The spacing also permits portions of the clamp, such as the spacer fingers 123, to extend beyond the longitudinal edges of the clamp members 120, where such portions are necessary or desirable in connection with the use to which the clamps are to be put. That is illustrated by FIG. 5.

The permanent waving apparatus of this application provides a simple and compact heater for hair waving clamps. The closed tubular wall 30 of heater element 16 makes the most efficient use of the heat generated by a single heater, such as the resistance heater 100, and requires only a single resistance heater for heating a large number of clamps. Further, the permanent waving apparatus of this invention provides for the easy relative movement of the heater fins with respect to the base, thereby to make the heated clamps more easily accessible and available to a beauty operator at desired angular positions.

Although only a presently preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. It is therefore intended that the present invention shall be limited only in accordance with the claims.

I claim:

1. A permanent waving machine comprising a base housing, an elongate vertically positioned tubular heater element and a cap assembly, the tubular heater element comprising a tubular wall and a plurality of enlarged elongate heater fins extending outwardly from said tubular Wall, said base housing, tubular wall and cap asseembly providing a substantially enclosed heating chamber, means securing said cap assembly to the upper end of said tubular heater element and means securing the lower end of said tubular heater element to said base housing and supporting said tubular heater element for rotation relative to said base housing, and a resistance heater mounted on said base housing and extending upwardly therefrom into said tubular heater element and out of contact with its interior for tubular heating said heater element and said heater fins, said tubular heater element being an extrusion in which each of said heater fins is integrally connected to said tubular wall by a spacer rib which extends outwardly from said tubular wall, said heater being controlled by an operating thermostat and a control thermostat in parallel with each other, the operating thermostat being located within said base housing and set at a specified temperature, and the control theremostat being located within said heater element and set at a temperature higher than said specified temperature, said cap assembly being non-rotatably secured to said tubular heating element and including a handle to rotate said heater element relative to said base housing.

2. A permanent waving machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said supporting means includes balls and a ball race, thereby to support said tubular heater element for rotation with respect to said base housing.

3. A permanent waving machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said cap assembly includes an insulating layer between said heating chamber and said handle.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,339,097 DATED 1 June 10, l9' 75 irrvemoatfi) John R. Forsberg it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below: 3

Column 5, line 9, delete "tubular".

Column 5, line 10, insert tubular-- before "heater element".

Signed and Sealed this twenty-sixth Day Of August 1975 [SEAL] Atfest.

RUTH C. MASON I C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner ofParems and Trademarks UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CETIFICATE 0F CGRRECTION PATENT NO. 3,889,097 DATED June 10, 1975 |NVENTOR(S) 1 John R. Forsber It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, line 9, delete "tubular".

Column 5, line 10, insert -tubular before "heater element".

Signed and Scaled this A ttes t:

RUTH C. MASON Arresting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner ufParenIs and Trademarks

Claims (3)

1. A permanent waving machine comprising a base housing, an elongate vertically positioned tubular heater element and a cap assembly, the tubular heater element comprising a tubular wall and a plurality of enlarged elongate heater fins extending outwardly from said tubular wall, said base housing, tubular wall and cap asseembly providing a substantially enclosed heating chamber, means securing said cap assembly to the upper end of said tubular heater element and means securing the lower end of said tubular heater element to said base housing and supporting said tubular heater element for rotation relative to said base housing, and a resistance heater mounted on said base housing and extending upwardly therefrom into said tubular heater element and out of contact with its interior for tubular heating said heater element and said heater fins, said tubular heater element being an extrusion in which each of said heater fins is integrally connected to said tubular wall by a spacer rib which extends outwardly from said tubular wall, said heater being controlled by an operating thermostat and a control thermostat in parallel with each other, the operating thermostat being located within said base housing and set at a specified temperature, and the control theremostat being located within said heater element and set at a temperature higher than said specified temperature, said cap assembly being non-rotatably secured to said tubular heating element and including a handle to rotate said heater element relative to said base housing.

2. A permanent waving machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said supporting means includes balls and a ball race, thereby to support said tubular heater element for rotation with respect to said base housing.

3. A permanent waving machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said cap assembly includes an insulating layer between said heating chamber and said handle.

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